The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-10-29
HONEST WORK REWARDED.

Alfred l.. SewelI tells the following
Eqe story of the manner in which
one of the prominent railroad Off
cIals of this country rose, step by
step. to his present position. 1t is
eoQd reading for ambitious young
men:
4 want to tell the boys about
friend OF mine whose faithful per-
Iormance of present duty led him
INTO higher positions than he had
ever dreamed of filling, and gave
MIN what we would all like to reach
honor and success.
In the years of my experience as a
printer In Chicago, more than twenty
years ago. our firm did good deal of
Drinting for the Chicago. Burlington
a Quincy Railroad, and because o
this Il came. to. know a young man
VITO is the subject OF my story.
He came from Massachusetts he
was poor, and had no inf lential
friends to even give him letter of
recommendation He sought en-
ployment on the Chicago, Burlington
& Quinty railroad, and after waiting
time, at last secured a position as
brakeman on freight train-salary
only thirty dollars month. He Was
faithful in this position, and being
both intelligent and industrious, he
was soon made a conductor on the
train, with wages nearly doubled.
He soon attncted the attention of his
superior Officers, who saw in him an
honest, faithful, conscientious con-
ductOr, one not seeking his own ease
or pleasure, but constantly devoted
to the interests of the company thai
employed him, so that not many
months elapsed before he was made
conductor of p assenger trajn-s
more comfortable position. and one
yielding a higher salary. Here l frs
knew him, modest, quiet, unassum
ing young man, free from the pOpu
lar vices. and one who tried to bt
just as faithful and true to his WORK
as conductor, as though the position
had been that of general superinten
dent. He did not apparently have {
very high opinion of his own abili
ties there was total abstinence o
that sWagger and strut so often seei
in those who come to similar sub
altern positions. 1t seemed as thougl
to properly conduct his train, to Sc
cure the comfort of his passengers
|, and rightly serve the interests of hi
company, required the full exercis
of all the powers God had given him
One of the sternest and most exact
ing, and yet one of the nobiest, ables
and most conscientious men VIII
ever filled a similar position was thel
general superintendent of the road
This man. Col. G.. G. Hammond
watched every employe Of the roa'
with an eagle eye. He measured
every man, knew the ability of each
and seemed intuitively to know tn
faithful workers rom the shirks. Ou
young conductor did not escape hi
keen eye. When he least thought c
it, his chief was measuring and sound
ing him, and finding out what kin
of metal he was made of. But n
one eyer knew whether he was az
proved or net, for the chiefs loo
was always stern and as cold as ice.
On Friday night train number fou
moved slowly out of Chicago unde
the care of my young friend, who
only intent on doing his work as we
as he knew how, seemed to haye n
higher ambition than to be goo
conductor-salary nine hundred do
lars a year. About noon, when h
stopped at the station, he found
telegram from the head office, order
ing him to leave the train in care {
-, and take the first train fc
Chicago.
This was an unusual thing. Wor
dering what was the matter, COZ
scious that he had tried to do e'
actlv right, and yet rememberin
how exacting was the general supe
intendent he feared that unintel
tionally he had fallen under h
, displeasure. Reaching Chicago la
Saturday. evening, he found 90
Hammond had gone home, an
r knowing how strict he was in the o
e servance of the Sabbath, the condu
tor waited impatiently for the con
ing Monday morning, when, with
fearful heart, he presented himself
the Office of the superintendent.
T "Good morning, Mr.. Hammond
: I've answered your telegram, al
!, come to see what it MEANS"
: "Good morning." growled Il
chief UI 900 vOn have sir I ha,